jJERPETOLOGY OF JAPAN. 29 



HYNOBIUS LEECHII« Boulenger. 



Plate IV, fig. 8. 



1887. Hynobius leechii Boulenger, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (5). XIX, p. 67 (type- 

 locality, Gensan, Korea; type in Brit. Mus.; Leech, collector); Proc. 

 Zool. Soc. London, 1890, p. 326. 



Hynobius leechii is undoubtedly closely allietl to H. nsevius. Bou- 

 lenger hints at a difference in the proportion between head and body 

 which I have been unable to appreciate while examining the type 

 with the kind permission of the authorities of the British Museum. 



The chief difference is perhaps in the shorter vomero-palatine 

 series. It should be noted, however, that one of the British Museum 

 specimens of H. nxvius approaches the H. leechii very closely in this 

 respect. Boulenger's original description is herewith appended. 



Original description of type specimen.- — British Museum No. 86. 12. 

 8. 14; Gensan, Korea; J. H. Leech, collector. Palatine teeth form- 

 ing a V-shaped figure, which is broader than long; the length of one 

 of the series, from anterior to posterior angle, equals one-half of the 

 width of the tongue; head depressed, a little longer than broad; 

 snout short, rounded; body thrice and two-thirds the length of tha 

 head ; the distance from snout to gular fold contained nearly thrice in 

 the distance from latter to cloaca; limbs not meeting when adpressed; 

 fifth toe well developed; tail nearly as long as the distance between 

 gular fold and vent, thick, compressed, not heeled, with vertical 

 grooves, obtusely pointed posteriorly; skin smooth; thirteen costal 

 grooves; a vertebral groove. Blackish brown, above speckled with 

 pale brownish; upper surface of tail pale brownish, with a few black 

 dots. 



Dimensions. 



mm. 



Total length 83 



From snout to cloaca 47 



Head 10 



Width of head 8.5 



Fore limb 12 



Hind limb H 



Tail 36 6 



Habitat. — A single specimen only has thus far l)een obtained. It 

 formed part of a collection made by Mr. J. H. Leech at Gensan, 

 Korea, and by him presented to British Museum in 1886.*^ 



1 For J. H. Leech, esq., who collected the type. 



6 Boulenger, Ann. Mag. N. H. (5), XIX, 1887, p. 67. 



f While there is nothing intrinsically improbable in this species being Korean, it 

 may be well (until the find is corroborated) to refer to what is said about a specimen of 

 Elaphc niindnviiyata alleged to have been collected by Mr. Leech at Gensan (see ji. 331). 



